Folding machine



Dec. 2, 1941.

19 I 6 J 20 M A 37 20a 19 H. CLARE 2,265,058 FOLDING MACHINE Filed Maich 5, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 1 \\erm wan Q l are INVENTQR BY W ail ATTORNEY Dec. 2, 1941., I CLARE 2,265,953

FOLDING MACHIIAQE Filed March 5, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Warmann INVENTOR BY mw ATTORNEY FOLDING? MACHINE Filed March 5, 1941 3 Sheet-Sheet 3 Z5 j! if 14 @44 4 12 35-51 6 T:\ 16' 14 1! 13a 15 \-\Qrm nn mare INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, 194i Hermann Clare, Berne, swit'zerlandiassignorto. Promag Progressa Maschinen 6., Konolfingen, Switzerland Application March 5, 1941, Serial No. 381310 Q In Switzerland March-30 m I I (craw -s1) 1 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a folding machine for forming in sheets of paper, etc., two or more folds and is characterized by a set of two or more separably coupled folding apparatus each forming a self contained whole arranged to execute each one folding operation said apparatus being adapted to produce folds folded either forwards or backwards, parallel to each other or crosswise according to the manner of combining said apparatus.

In the drawings is represented an embodiment of a folding machine according to the invention and capable of forming three folds.

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically in a plan the driving shaft of the machine,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 a vertical section on line 44 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 a vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The shown folding machine comprises four units, a driving apparatus A and three similarly formed folding apparatus B, C and D differing from each other only in size.

The framing I of the driving apparatus A is swingingly suspended to a horizontal axis 2 of an electro motor 3, which by a belting 4, 5, 6 drives a countershaft 'l. Shaft 1 drives a shaft 9 by a toothed gearing 8 arranged below a table plate Ia of the feed table fast to the frame I. A shaft I is arranged above said table and the shaft 9. Shaft 9 carries two fastened band moving rollers I I and directly above the same shaft In two loose band guiding rollers I6 and beside each of these a swinging arm I2. These arms extend over the table plate I of apparatus B and carry at their free ends a roller I3. An endless belt I4 is slung around the rollers I3 and It, the lower branch of which is gliding over the table plate I5. The rollers |I bear from beneath against the band guiding rollers I5 or the bands I4 and move the same. Hereafter only the folding apparatus B is described and represented in detail because the folding apparatus 0 and D are similarly constructed as B. Similar parts in the drawings are marked with similar letters of reference in each folding apparatus on a rectangular bed plate I! a horizontal through shaft I8 is arranged and at the same level and on both sides of said shaft two coaxial short shafts I9 and I9a. Shaft I8 carries at both ends a coupling head 20 which is flush with the respective border edge of the respective plate or apparatus. Likewise the two shafts I9 and IM carry at their outer ends coutudinal border edgesof the respective plate. The coupling heads and 20a of one and the same folding apparatus areformed exactly alike at their free face sides. They have there either a diametrical groove 2| or a diametricalkeyZZ. In the shown embodiment the coupling heads of the folding apparatus B show grooves and those of apparatus C show keys and'those of apparatus D again grooves, and so forth. The through shafts it, IS and I9a of all the folding apparatus are all arranged at the same level so that said shafts, may allbecoupledtogether at the one or the other of the two opposite sides. In order to secure the coupled apparatus against lateral displacement the bed plates of the one side have holes 23 and the plates of the other side pins 24. With a view pling heads 200, which are flush with the longioffdriving the shaft I9 or I9a of apparatus B by the driving portion A the latter is provided with a reducing gear 25 the driving shaft 26 of which may be coupled with the one or the other of the shafts I9 or I9a. The through shaft l8 of every folding apparatus carries a bevel wheel 2! gear-'- ing each with a bevel wheel 28 or 28a respectively of the shafts I9 and I911. Shaft I9 is compulsorily in driving connection by means of a gear wheel drive 29 With the one folding oller 30 and by means of a chaindrive 3i, 32,33, 34, 35,33- with the other folding rol1er'3'l and with-th'e shafts 38 and 39. The roller 31 and the shafts 38 and 39 are in working connection by means of a gear wheel drive 49 with a roller 31a or shaft 38 and 39a relatively. The shafts 38, 38a, 39, 39a carry each a set of feed rollers 4| and Ma respectively by means of which folded paper sheets are fed between rollers 33 and 31 towards one side of the apparatus. 42 is a guide sheet disposed between the rollers 30 and tile and adapted to effect the change of direction of the folded paper sheet from the roller passage 30, 31 to the roller passage 31, 37a. Between the lower guide rollers 3la, 4| and am there is a supporting metal sheet 43 whereby the folded sheet is guided in a horizontal direction. The spring rests of the movably held rollers and sha its have not been represented. A cam disk 44 is fast to shaft liter and an angular lever 46 pivoted to a pin 45 and carrying a roller 47 is bearing against said disk. The angular lever 46 is hinged by a link 48 to a lever 49 fast to a shaft 59. A helical spring 5I attached to the bedplate of apparatus B is connected to link 48 thus securing the contact between lever 46 and cam disk 44 and with this together securing the operating of the lever mechanism 46, 48, 49 and shaft 58. This shaft carries two arms 52 supporting together the folding knife 53. Table plate 15 possesses a passage opening 54 beneath the folding knife 53, through which a paper sheet extended on the table plate which is to be folded is introduced by the downward striking folding knife between the folding rollers 30, 31 so as to produce a fold. Two band guide rollers [6 are fast to shaft-39 andalongside of the same are ar-- ranged looseandkrevolvably are arranged .armsi I2 carrying each a slidable roller l3. Between the rollers l3 and I6 is arranged a slidable press- 10;

sure roller [3a capable of pressing the band at the desired place down to the paper sheetr- The folded sheets are fed by the .bandssl lrtortherap paratus C if a further foldrisrtoibe.aexecutedioni the paper sheet. The level of the apparatus C corresponds with the level of the horizontal sheet guide of the apparatus B, so that'thetsheets de livered between the rollers 4| and lld of 'appa ratus B slip upon the table plate of apparatuszfi.

For the same amount of level apparatus D is lower tliarrapparatus 'Cand if"a--furtherappara tus should *be'added to the folding apparatus D also "this"further-apparatuswouldhave to be at a- IOWBI'TIBVE'l 'tlian D'f Anadjustable but not repre sentedohecli'plate'isproyidedin the*usual mannor uponthe table' "plate ofeach "folding apparatusxtodimit'the' advancemovement 'of the sheet fedbyftlie'bands:

Forproducing 'two folds'dn a'papercsh-eet theapparatus Cis:coupled.'to' apparatus B and for producing three folds anapparatusD'is'coupled to apparatusfli According asrth'e fold has to be execute'dionth'e one or th'e'other side of'tli'e'sh'eetitlie driving portionJYwill'Jhave tobe joinedfto' the one or the 3-5 other longitudirialside' .of the, apparatus Band' apparatus, C"or. DTrespectivelyhave to be joined torone or the other longitudinafsidi of'Ttheapparatus'BT or].CIrespectively. As .a consequence of'thlsi's that the foldd'sheetwill'travelto the 40 onetorto theother side.. The passagefromrone apparatus. to thelother of, tlie sheet'ft'o. badeposited, upon thestable. Ia [of the apparatus is operated. .quite. automatically, I

It'muststillbememarked thatchangesmay be made vwhich will remainwithin. the scope of the invention. Thus.it=is.-possibleto-,fit the, driving portion-,Aa with the pocket folding device much used in folding machines where the paper sheets are already provided with one or two folds when they are fed to the first folding apparatus.

The described folding machine has the great advantage over other known machines that corresponding to the provided number and arrangement-,of-folds-dn a parallelora crosswise mannerrthe:requiredffoldinggapparatustforming each a self contained whole may be coupled directly together in such a Way that fold will be folded either parallel with another fold or crosswise to thesame=or be folded forwards or backwards according to thecmanner of combining said apparatus.- suchsancombined machine will be less bulky than-.themachines hitherto known.

What I claim is:

1: Int' foidingmachinery for producing in advancingpaper sheets a number of folds, folded forwards or backwards, parallel or crosswise, the combination forming one operative, machine, of as many'foldingapparatus' as there are folds, and of one: driving'apparatus; rectangular bedplate for each? apparatus; crosswise arranged 'driving meansproVided" in'ea'cl'i of the. folding apparatus and"coupl ingmeans "integral; with'such. driving means; one'on'each': side ofitl'ie four sides of the.

foldingi apapratus ,andz'arranged to establish operative .connection between driving. apparatus and folding" apparatus and between these amon themselves,

21". In foldingmachinery, accordinguto claim 1 and in combination, a, self'contained folding apparatus comprisinga, through'rdriving, shaft, two side shafts on two opposit"eq sides arranged at right angles, bevelgearirig as ldiivingmeans between. the. tlireersh'aft's, arrangedl'to operate the twoiside shafts r rotatably; in opposite directions and'coupliiig members attached to the free ends of. said shafts flush with .the four border edges.

3.;Ihifol'ding, machinery according to claim 1 andLin..-combination,. adriving. apparatus comprising a feed. table, an. electr motor suspended underneath said feedetable a speed, reducing gear, a-icouplingmember. of thezsamefiush with the border. edge .ofthe-bedplateof the apparatus, and. means-for: guidingi and. transferring the sheetset'o the folding-devices;

HER/MANN CLARE. 

